V 



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. Rec.137 



Price, 5 Cents 




Courtesy of the Boston School Committee 

Heat, Light and Service Welding a Neighborhood 



THE REAL SNAG IN SOCIAL CENTER EXTENSION 
By Clarence Arthur Perry 

A tableful of school superintendents, temporarily released 
from listening to one another's papers, were comfortably dis- 
cussing one of Rueger's dinners and also, between mouthfuls, 
their home city problems. 

"The trouble with the uplifters," said the man from the 
middle west, "is that they don't realize you can't open an 
assembly room for an evening entertainment without its cost- 
ing money. The janitor " 

"What!" interjected an Ohioan, "Won't your janitors 
work overtime for the love of humanity?" 

"Do they in your town?" was the quick rejoinder. 

"A janitor is a good deal like a light meter. Both will run 
after-hours but the result of the extra labor will always show 
up in the end," commented another. 

5-14 25 



The man from Pennsylvania laid down his fork. ' "One of 
our prominent women recently remonstrated, 'But you don't 
let your fires go out every night, do you? Why should our 
association have to pay for heat whenever it uses the kinder- 
garten room?' " 

"Her experience evidently hadn't taught her the economy of 
the banked fire," remarked his neighbor. 

"No, and she didn't know either that in many schools you 
can't turn the heat on a single room after supper without re- 
quiring the engineer to work overtime and without developing 
heat enough to warm many other rooms than the one to be 
used. After I explained to her very carefully that there wasn't 
a cubic foot in the whole building that could be used by out- 
ciders at night for five minutes without involving work for 
someone, and that work meant expenditure of energy and 
energy was money and when money was spent it had to come 
from somewhere — then she came back with 'All right. Let the 
school board stand it. They are spending the people's money. 
That's what we give it to them for.' " 

After the laughter had subsided the speaker went on. "Well, 
then I began to take heart. I got down the budget under 
which we were working and spread it out before her. 'This,* 
I said, 'is a list of the sums of money which the people have 
given the Board to spend during this year, and here are the 
purposes for which we may spend them. If we devote a dollar 
of this money to a purpose not plainly set down here we break 
the law. Now, if you can find a single item here which sets 
aside money for the expenses of meetings held by outside 
organizations, I'll not only publicly apologize to your asso- 
ciation, but I'll refund to it every cent it has been charged 
for heat, light and janitor service during the current year.' " 

"Hurrah!" shouted the Ohioan, amidst the general rattle of 
approval. "I fancy she and you don't speak now — as you pass 
by." 

"No; she was one of the right sort. That little heart to 
heart talk will probably result in our having a dental clinic 
much sooner than we could otherwise have gotten one. For 
years I've been begging my board to give me the money for 
one. Since our talk this woman has persuaded her organiza- 

2 



Uncertainty 



tion to get behind my request, and now things are beginning 
to move." 

"Do you know what they did in my town?" put in an 
Eastern superintendent. "The chairman of a school improve- 
ment society — he happens to be a reporter — attacked me 
through his paper because I wouldn't take money from my 
special class fund to run the dances they had started, after 
their own money had given out. . . ." 

Thus it became clear why in so many places the school 
officials and voluntary organizations are not pulling together, 
why misunderstanding and mutual hostility are often nullify- 
ing their earnest endeavors even though both are working for 
the same broad end. Uncertainty as to the people's will is is the ~ na g 
the difficulty. The school man is absolutely sure of his man- 
date to teach the three R's and perhaps the art of wielding 
hammer and saw, or needle and broom. The course of study 
sets forth his work in black type and, more unmistakably still, 
sums of potent money have been placed in his hands with 
which to put this specific program into effect. 

But basketball, folk dancing, amateur theatricals, com- 
munity discussions — has the conduct of such doings been laid 
upon his shoulders by the taxpayer with an equal definiteness 
and lack of uncertainty? Surely they are educational, you 
say. But do all of your neighbors think as you do? Well, at 
any rate they would be improving to humanity, you argue. 
Probably so, and yet — you would undoubtedly start a warm 
little debate even upon this point if you were to assert it 
before either your church deacons or your ward politicians. 

However, all this uncertainty can be removed by a very It can be 
simple device. Ask the people as a whole to decide, by some remov ed 
clear expression, whether or not they will grant a definite sum 
of money for the carrying on of social center activities. To 
the submission of such a proposition school officials cannot 
object without reflecting upon their attitude as public servants, 
while the more enterprising ones will welcome it because of 
the enlargement of their function which may thus result. In 
addition, such a step automatically secures wide publicity for 
the idea, uncovers any secret hostility and strengthens the 
community's self-esteem as a self-governing body. 

3 



In securing a popular expression upon a social center 
project there are three definite steps. 

The Three Steps: 

I. Deciding how large a social center appropriation to 
ask for. 

II. Getting the board of education to include this item 
in its tentative annual budget. 

III. Getting the item allowed by the common council, 
board of estimate, or whatever body is charged 
with the decision upon budgetary requests. 

I. Determining the Amount Needed 

There is a certain time every year — in the late spring in 
many places — when the members of the school board decide 
Getting how much money they are going to want for running the 

ready early schools the next year. Through conversation with the super- 
intendent ascertain exactly when this is, as the period just 
previous to this decision is practically the only time when this 
plan can be put through. 

The amount to be asked for and the form of the request ::: 
will depend upon the kinds and extent of the activities to be 
undertaken. In determining these the advice of the superin- 
tendent will be most helpful. It may be found that he already 
Involves cherishes plans for social center activities and in that case 

planning u can gave y OUrse if mU ch labor as well as accomplish results 

social center . , . . . . . , . ..,.,_. , 

, r with the minimum of friction by getting in behind his plans 

a whole ano ^ letting him take the lead. He will then probably welcome 

season outside suggestions from local leaders and a program of activi- 

ties can be worked out which will at once receive the com- 
munity's support. The amount of work which will be prac- 
ticable will always be less than your ideal but your aim should 
include somewhat more than is demonstrably feasible. 

While no scheme can be outlined here which will fit the 
needs of all localities the three essential points to think about 
in developing any program may be briefly set down. These 



♦If the state law makes it illegal for the board to expend money 
upon any social renter activities consult pp. 10 to 13 of our pamphlet (No. 
R125). "Mow to Start Social Centers," for the remedy. 



embrace provision for (1) the expenses of opening the build- 
ings evenings; (2) salaries of workers, and (3) equipment and 
supplies. In computing the expenses under these heads the 
following considerations may be found suggestive: 

(1) The extra expense for coal electricity or gas and for the 
overtime service of janitor and engineer incidental to opening school- 
houses during the winter at night is an item which can be easily 
computed. The cost is generally greater when the whole building is 
used than when the assembly room alone is opened and it also varies 
with different schools. As a rule, however, the board of education 
can set a figure that will be uniform for all schools, varying only as 
the whole or a part (usually the auditorium) is used. With that 
information in hand it will be necessary only to decide which schools 
shall be opened and how- many times each during the season in 
order to determine how much shall be asked for this purpose. The 
fundamental question of how much work shall be done is here 
involved. The answer will be determined by considerations as to 
what localities need centers most, what buildings have the most favor- 
able accommodations and what is the largest appropriation that. 
considering public finances and the political situation, may hopefully 
be sought. If at all possible it will be well to include provision for 
meetings of the ward improvement and other associations which 
have community welfare at heart as well as for those of parent- 
teacher societies. In the Xew York Board of Education's budget 
for 1914 there is an appropriation of over $5,000 for janitors' ser- 
vices in connection with social center activities undertaken by neigh- 
borhood associations, which the voluntary associations helped to 
get approved, besides the item for after-school playgrounds shown 
in the excerpt from the Xew York budget on page 7. 

(2) In computing the number of workers count at least one 
for each room or area which it is planned to use. Singing and 
dancing classes need two each, that is, one person beside the musi- 
cian. Skillful club organizers can sometimes run several clubs at 
the same time, but all groups devoted to dramatics, embroidery, or 
any other cultural activity require constant direction. Capable social 
center directors receive $4 and $5 an evening, assistants from $1.50 
to $2.50, and ordinary helpers $1.00. With a skilled director in 
charge volunteer assistance can sometimes be used to piece out a 
staff — for a time — and such a person can often suggest economies in 
equipment as well as make the facilities at hand yield the maximum 
of service. 

( 3 ) Equipment and supplies include such articles as extra 
chairs, small tables, magazines, phonographs, lanterns, curtains, bas- 
ket-balls, volley-ball nets, games, etc. The kinds and quantity will 
depend entirely upon the character and extent of the work to be 
undertaken. After conversation with a Y. M. C. A. man or a play- 
ground director it will generally be possible to fix upon a round sum 
which will do for a beginning. 



Details, 
but very 
important 



Outside help 
in getting 
budget items 
approved is 
increasing 



Investments 
in ability pay 
in social 
work just as 
in business 



5 



II. Getting the Item Into the Tentative Budget 



Working 
from the 
inside out 
is generally 
easier than 
Luttin^-in 



If the school superintendent has been "in" on all the plan- 
ning and figuring incidental to determining the amount of 
the social center appropriation it has been decided to ask for, 
there will usually be no special difficulty in persuading the 
board to include your item among their estimates for the 
coming year. Ordinarily the superintendent will attend to 
that himself as a matter of course. In any event, practically 
the only reason which a school committee can allege for refus- 
ing to submit the social center item to the higher authorities 
is that the committee or group promoting it is not backed by 
sufficient public sentiment to justify them in giving the plan 
even the tacit support implied in the inclusion of it among 
their regular requests. That objection you can meet by get- 
ting the woman's club, ministers' association or chamber of 
commerce to endorse the social center idea by resolution, at 
the same time seeing to it that the action is adequately re- 
ported to the general public by the newspapers. 



Ours is a 

government 
by public 
sentiment 



III. Getting the Social Center Item Finally Allowed 

The problem is to convince the members of the common 
council, or whatever body makes up the annual city budget, 
that the community as a whole, or at any rate a very substan- 
tial portion of it, favors the appropriation of public funds for 
social center purposes. Often this can be accomplished 
through one or more public hearings," at which arguments in 
favor of the item are presented by effective speakers, represent- 
ing important organizations. Sometimes, however, the task 
requires more extensive efforts. Direct communications from 
taxpayers are the most effective means of moving city officials 
and their effect is almost directly proportional to the number 
of the messages sent. 



When the Detroit Common Council recently cut the $17,668 social 
center appropriation out of the school budget the club women came imme- 
diately to the rescue. They appealed to the aldermen by telephone, 
through personal interviews, and with telling arguments at public hearings, 
with the resull thai the item was finally restored though the amount was 
reduced to $5,000, the sum allowed the previous year. 









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Fragment ot the New York Board of Education Budget for 1914 
Showing' Where Voluntary Associations Helped 



But public 
sentiment 
is naturally 
lazy 



You arouse 
people's 
hearts 
through 
their brains 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



By partitioning the city into districts ar V 1 q\ q g^c jog 
under a committee with a well-thought-out plan ot action, a 
very general popular expression can be easily arranged. 
Through the school children, parent-teacher societies, ward 
improvement associations, church congregations, and other 
bodies interested in community welfare requests to write the 
city officials regarding the social center appropriation can be 
widely distributed among the taxpayers. Postal cards, 
addressed and bearing alternative expressions of approval and 
disapproval, ready for the parents' mark and signature, and 
carried home by interested school children, will generally 
result in an influential shower upon the city hall. 

The easier it is made for people to register their wishes 
the larger will be the number who do so. If postals cannot 
be afforded, post cards (pottage to be affixed by sender), or 
even handbills stating the arguments and giving explicit 
directions as to the wording of the message, the person to be 
addressed, and the ultimate date for mailing, can be used to 
good advantage. If the campaign is carried on simultaneously 
in all parts of the city and involves the holding everywhere of 
neighborhood meetings just previous to the time set for send- 
ing in the messages, most effective newspaper publicity will 
be gained and a very favorable psychological situation be 
created. There are few communities where, if the people have 
been made to understand what a social center is, the result of 
such a referendum will be negative. 

When the school officials have been allotted definite sums 
of money for social center activities they will no longer doubt 
the community's will in the matter. Those who would pro- 
mote social center extension can do no more effective work 
than that of helping the school people get that money. 



Department of Recreation 

Russell Sage Foundation 

130 East 22nd Street, New York City 



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